An attempt was made to clarify the absorption of antibody in colostrum by prostaglandin F
2α-delivered premature calves. Six pregnant cows were treated with prostaglandin F
2α (PGF
2α) to induce premature parturition. As a result, 6 healthy calves were born from them at 257 to 277 days of gestation. They were separated immediately from their dams after birth and fed 500 to 3, 500 ml of colostrum first milked 6 to 11.5 hours later. Additional 500 to 3, 000 ml of secondly milked one was fed 3 to 11.5 hours after the first ingestion. Then they were allowed to ingest fresh cow's milk
ad libitum twice a day. Sera were collected from them before and 3, 6, 9, 12 and 24 hours after ingestion of colostrum and then daily until 7 days of age. Two sera were also collected from each dam before and after parturition. Neutralizing antibody against parainfluenza type 3 virus (PI-3) was checked as a representative of antibodies by the neutralization test.
No PI-3 antibody was detected from the precolostral sera of any calf. It increased rapidly to reach a maximum level about 12 hours after ingestion of colostrum. This level was maintained for more than 6 days. It was equal to the level in the dams during the puerperal period.
These results indicate that the PGF
2α-delivered premature calves absorb antibodies from colostrum, so that the concentration of antibody in the calf blood may attain the same level as that in their dams about 12 hours after ingestion of colostrum.
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